There are a wide variety of post support devices available to provide support and to secure posts, such as fence posts, mail box posts, sign posts and the like and other post-like elements, in a generally vertical, secure position in the ground. Generally, such post support devices include a hollow upper section to receive a post to be secured and supported and optionally an elongated, ground-engaging element to be driven or inserted into the ground and means to then secure the post in the hollow section from any movement in a secure, vertical, upright position. Often such post support devices require special or other tools for installation or require the use of separate supporting pins or other devices, such as flanges, to secure the post.
One post support for example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,346, issued May 7, 1974 wherein a hollow socket is supported on a flat base plate and which hollow socket is adapted to receive a post to be supported and wherein pins are driven through the slots in the socket and into the ground in order to secure the post in position.
Another post support device is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,157, issued May 13, 1986. This post support device includes an elongated, ground-engaging, cruciform spike portion which is driven vertically into the ground and an upper post-engaging portion in the form of a hollow box section for receiving one end of a post to be supported in a vertical position, and with the post axis substantially aligned with the axis of the ground-engaging portion. The hollow box section to receive the post has projections extending inwardly from the vertical wall of the box section so as to permit such vertical projections to be driven into and cut into the posts as the post is being driven into the box section thereby to secure the post within its hollow box section. Such post support devices require formation of such vertical inwardly projecting sections by bending a section of the wall inwardly.
It is desirable to provide a new and improved post support and method of supporting a post in which no special or other tools are required and no pins are required and which post support can adjust to various types of posts and which can be easily readjusted, and which generally provides peripheral pinching or pressure about the circumference of the post in the post support device.